ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL

January 10, 2026

Francisco Cerundolo

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Francisco Cerundolo to the interview room here at the Adelaide International. Do you want to start by talking us through your preparations for this tournament and what you're looking forward to this week.

FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO: Well, yeah, I'm super happy to be here again. I came I think in 2022, so it's been like four years since I came here. But, yeah, really happy to start the year again, to start competing again. I think I did a really good pre-season back home in Argentina, so I'm ready this week to start playing and see how I am.

Q. What made you pick Adelaide this year? Similar conditions to Melbourne with the weather and hard court?

FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO: Well, yeah, the last three years I went to Auckland, and I didn't perform well there, so I wanted to change. The year I came here I think I did good, I felt I was playing good, so I wanted to change and try again here. So that was the decision that we made with our team.

Q. What are you looking to get out of this tournament? You're the third seed, so you're certainly one of the favorites to win this thing.

FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO: Yeah, well, but it's my first tournament of the year. I think there are many players from the draw that they compete this week in other tournaments, so they're probably more prepared than me. I'm going to go just match by match, see how I'm feeling. It's always tricky the first tournament of the year. The last match that I played was in November, so competition is totally different from the practice. I will see how I'm feeling in my first match, but hopefully I can go further.

Q. Do you feel rested? You've had that break, the Davis Cup was the last time you played, was it?

FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO: Yeah, well, I mean, yeah, I finished the year really, really late. Yeah, that's why I decided not to play the first week of the year, because as I finished really late I wanted to have a good pre-season, have a rest, and then try to come here. That was why we didn't play the first week of the year and we are starting here in the second one. Yeah, I'm feeling fresh, so, yeah, really looking forward to competing again.

Q. I understand you went sailing on the beach the other day. How was that? It was a pretty hot day.

FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO: Yeah, I mean, it was really hot, but at least we went on a hot day and not this day that is cloudy, windy, a little bit cold. It was good because doing different things in a tournament week, it's fun, it gets you outside of the tournament, your mind relax a little bit. I think it was a great evening, sailing there and jumping into the sea, and having fun with my team and a friend.

Q. Do you like the beaches, are you a beach guy?

FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO: Yeah, I prefer a lot more beaches and hot weather than the cold. Back home now it's summer, so we are probably in the same latitude here and have the same weather. So, yeah, I prefer hot weather.